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0) Well, the NUC I was using for the home theater PC only supports HDMI 1.4, and the videos looked like crap on my 75-inch 4K tv, so I had to fall back to the full-size PC that I was using (has a GTX1050 add-on card that is HDMI 2.0 compliant).

1) I had installed Linux Mint 19 on the big box, but when I installed Kodi, Kodi refused to scan for new content, saying it couldn't connect to the remote server (TheMovieDB and TheTVDB web sites, where it gets the movie info - curiosuly, the Music part scanned just fine)\). I tried a number of suggested remedies discovered via a google search, but none of them fixed the issue, so I had to fall back to Ubuntu 18.04. All of a sudden, Kodi could connect to the remote server. Downside - the Ubuntu desktop isn't as responsive as the Mint desktop was. I'm sure it's a video driver issue, so I'll be trying to fix that in the next couple of days.

2) Again with Kodi - I thought I had my MCE remote problems ironed out, but that was not the case. I forgot one crucial step with regards to LIRC - preventing LIRC from getting updated, as well as turning off automatic updates on the OS. I remedied those issues on the new (old) box, and I think it's good to go. Reminder - I had to install the version of LIRC from the Xenial repository, because the one that comes from Bionic Beaver DOES NOT WORK.

3) I decided to create my Win7 VM (VMWare) in anticipation of moving my desktop box to Linux in the next week or so. I'm starting with the Win7/SP1 DVD and am currently in update Hell, installing 118 "important" updates. VMWare suggested a 60GB drive, but I made mine 250GB (my current Win7 install is 175GB with all kinds of crap installed with it). My intention is to install fewer kinds of crap, but I figured I'd leave myself some headroom in case more crap rolls downhill.

4) Again with VMWare - I've never really played with VMs much, and I found that I have to change some settings with regards to connecting to the available remote network shares (specifically, the media server). I don't know why, but I just assumed that I would be able to connect to them in VMWare without any real effort.

5) Again with VMWare - I hope I'll be able to use the VM that I created without any fuss in Linux. :/

6) I went to install extensions for Python into VSCode on the laptop, and I'm not really sure which extensions to use. There are DOZENS, and there is no apparent indication as to which ones are required, as opposed to "nice to have".

For VB programmers that have never been exposed to real programming languages, my list indexes start with "0", as god intended. Only heathen-based languages start their list indexes with "1".

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010-----You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010-----When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

Again, if you run Kodi on your android TV, it will work directly with your TV's hardware. You won't have to use some arcane separate box with special video cards and whatnot, just to lose tons of quality because of an external link, that will the end bring the signal to that same hardware.

It can be set up literally in minutes, you can store the files anywhere on your local network or on a USB hub.

I think that The Great War (AKA The War to End all Wars) is far enough back in time that the descendants of the combatants can be dispassionate about what is generally agreed was a monstrous folly on all sides.

The American Civil War, OTOH...

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.

Two Canadian MemorialsI
We giving all gained all.
Neither lament us nor praise.
Only in all things recall,
It is Fear, not Death that slays.

II
From little towns in a far land we came,
To save our honour and a world aflame.
By little towns in a far land we sleep;
And trust that world we won for you to keep!

Convoy Escort
I was a shepherd to fools
Causelessly bold or afraid.
They would not abide by my rules.
Yet they escaped. For I stayed.

Common Form
If any question why we died,
Tell them, because our fathers lied.

But the last says it all:

A Dead Statesman
I could not dig: I dared not rob:
Therefore I lied to please the mob.
Now all my lies are proved untrue
And I must face the men I slew.
What tale shall serve me here among
Mine angry and defrauded young?

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.

Come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on fathers, and don't hesitate
To send your sons off before it's too late.
And you can be the first ones in your block
To have your boy come home in a box.